Ryan's Good Day
by ChampagneWishes
Summary: Sequel to Bad Day not pre-req reading The Cohen's&1 have a day for lots of bonding as Kirsten and Sandy take care of a sick Ryan & Seth
1. Chapter 1

"Any sign of the boys?" Sandy asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee and enjoyed the sensation of drinking it while still wearing his pajama bottoms.

"No, but I just checked on them. Ryan's fever is down but Seth's is up."

"How high?"

"101 or so, nothing too alarming, but I called and left a message for the pediatrician to try and get them an appointment today."

"How are they feeling?"

"Well, you know Seth, he was ready and waiting with the pathetic sick act in case I decided to try and send him to school. I've never seen anyone so excited to have a fever." She sighed, "And Ryan is a bit miffed at me for insisisting he stay home today."

Sandy sighed and shook his head and took a sip of coffee. A sip, not a gulp, it was a refreshing change.

Just then the glass door slid open and Ryan appeared.

"Hey kid, how are you feeling?"

"Fine." Ryan said, as he made a bee line for the coffee pot.

"Oh no you don't-" Kirsten stopped him. "Tea. Caffeine's bad for colds."

"Tea has caffeine." Ryan pointed out, his eyes still locked on the enticing black liquid.

"I'll make you some that's decaf. Now sit." Kirsten put her hands on top of his shoulders and marched him into the living room and pushed him down on the couch. He coughed a few times and Kirsten felt his shoulders heave under her hands.

Once he was safely on the couch, Kirsten pulled an afghan down on top of him and tucked it in around him and then felt his forehead.

"Are you feeling any better?" Kirsten asked. She had given him some Tyelenol when she'd woken him up that morning, she was hoping his fever might have dropped a little by now.

"A little," he shrugged.

"I made a doctor's appointment for you and Seth later today."

Ryan groaned but was interrupted by his own cough, "It's just a cold." Kirsten was pleased that he seemed less congested this morning, at least his voice was less nasaly and he could actually say the letter's l and d.

"You're fever was pretty high last night,"

"But it's lower today..." He protested.

"Ryan, you're going, and that's final." Sandy decided to step in.

"Don't need ACHOO a doctor..." And then his voice dissolved into a fit of thick, wet sounding coughs. Sandy's lungs hurt just hearing the kid cough like that. When he finished he looked up at Kirsten. "Alright... I'll go."

Kirsten just smiled and patted his shoulder. "I'll make you some tea. Do you want anything to eat? Maybe some toast?" Ryan thought back to yesterday's toast experience and almost shuddered.

"No, not hungry."

"Alright," Kirsten said, but Ryan and her both knew the battle wasn't over.

As Kirsten set about boiling more water for tea, Seth made his entrance into the kitchen with an explosive sneeze.

"Bless you. Cover your mouth Seth." Sandy said from behind the paper.

"Such concern for my health dad!"

"Sarcasm's intact... Can't be too sick!" Ryan called weakly from the couch, and then coughed.

"Look who's talking!" Seth said, and then sneezed.

"Come on, go sit down," Kirsten said, she took Seth by the elbow and herded him onto the love seat in the living room.

"How come he gets the couch?" Seth complained.

"Early bad catches the couch," Sandy said, flipping through his newspaper.

"I'm making tea," Kirsten said, as she tucked Seth in with a blanket and kissed his forehead.

"And toast?" Seth asked hopefully. "And..." he sneezed, "Orange juice,"

"Sure," Kirsten agreed. "Ryan, do you want some orange juice?" He started to shake his head, "I'm going to make it fresh..." She teased.

Ryan smiled a little, "Alright, thanks."

"You're welcome." Pleased to have both her patients settled where she could keep an eye on them and settled for making a breakfast fit for a sick king.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow- totally fell down on my fanfiction writing this weekend, I've been all over my fictionpress stuff! But hope y'all enjoy this!**

* * *

"I don't want that piece- it's ACHOO burnt!" Seth complained as he poked at a more brown than golden piece of toast.

Kirsten sighed, "Finish what's on your plate and I'll make more."

Ryan took a bite of the buttered toast with jam that Kirsten had given him and was surprised when he found his appetite coming to the surface as he bit into it, but he had to take a swig of orange juice to wash it down. His sore throat didn't feel any better and the constant fits of coughing were only making it steadily worse. He looked up and saw Kirsten smile at him as he went in for a second bite, he returned the smile.

"Afder we ACHOO ACHOO go to the doctor, can we HACHOO!" Seth paused to wipe his nose with his sleeve, "Go to Blockbuster?"

"Only if you learn how to use tissues." Sandy said, planting a box in front of his son.

"Why Dad? They're such a waste- they go into landfills and then they just sit there. This way you can just wash my shirt."

"First of son, that is mostly just a good way to spread germs and second of all, they don't sit there. They decompose."

"Actually," Ryan spoke up, "They ACHOO don't HACHOO! decompose in landfills." He coughed a few times, "Because there's so much other-" Another cough, "Other garbage, they end up just sitting there. Paper products are one of the biggest ACHOO fillers of *cough cough* landfills." He finished his speech and sank back exhausted, he had actually broken out in a sweat. "And it's why they smell so bad." He added after another moment. Then he sneezed.

Kirsten and Sandy exchanged worried glances, and their cause of concern wasn't the amount of paper clogging up the landfills.

Kirsten went into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of cough syrup and filled the small plastic measuring cup and gave it to Ryan.

"Thanks," He said hoarsely.

"How come I don't get ACHOO any of the good stuff?" Seth complained.

"Cause you're not coughing yet." Sandy said. If Seth really had caught this cold from Ryan than they could expect his symptoms to follow a similar progression. Now, looking back on it, he remembered Ryan sneezing several times at dinner a few days ago, but his mind had been elsewhere. When he called the school that morning to let them know both his sons would be absent that day he had been informed that Ryan had left early the day before. Sandy had been quick to tell them that yes, Ryan had been very sick, sorry they hadn't called. Remembering how sick Ryan had been the previous night, and looking at him lying on the couch now, he wondered how he had even let him out of the house yesterday morning. He was slightly annoyed that Ryan had left the school without telling him, but he also wasn't surprised.

Ryan was used to being on his own and not having people check on him. He had spent all summer not having an adult around to check up on him regularly or anyone to report to. It was no wonder he would think nothing of leaving school early without notifying himself or Kirsten, especially while he was under the mistaken impression that they were too busy to care like they might have seemed the night before last.

He hoped Ryan would forgive him. He already knew it would be awhile before he forgave himself for letting Ryan get so sick.

"Why does everything have to _hurt_?" Seth complained, squirming against his pillows.

"It's the fever, it causes muscle aches. Do you want to take more Tylenol?"

Seth shook his head and sank down in a pout, "You know Ryan, when I said we were ACHOO brothers and we should _share_ things, I wasn't talking about germs." Seth blew his nose.

In response Ryan sneezed, "Sorry," He said.

"Seth..." Sandy said warily. "Ryan didn't mean to give you his cold."

"He threatened to sneeze on me!" Seth exclaimed.

Kirsten rolled her eyes, "I thought you were happy you got to miss school?"

"Well, yeah, but not ACHOO when I feel like this!"

Ryan would have rolled his eyes, but decided it was better not to encourage him. He felt bad he had gotten Seth sick, but at least Seth hadn't tried to go school like this. And, maybe, a little, he felt like Seth deserved it for encouraging Lindsay and Marissa yesterday... This cold was pretty good payback.

"I'b gonna take a shower," Ryan said getting up, he coughed a few times as he sat up. Being sick like this always made him feel grimy, maybe it was the way he knew he was covered in germs.

"Good idea, but Ryan- use the hairdryer. Wet hair is a good way to make yourself worse." Kirsten warned.

"Hair dryer?"

"Third drawer in the bathroom on the left."

"I have a hair dry?" Ryan repeated slightly incredulous. Everyone looked at Kirsten for an explanation.

Kirsten shrugged, "Never know when you might need one?"

"Mom- did you really ever ACHOO think Ryan-of-the-wife-beaters would need a _hair dryer."_

"Seth, don't call them wife beaters." Sandy responded automatically. "You should get dressed, your appointments in an hour."

"Thought I was sick and supposed to just _relax_?" Seth asked.

"You can relax in the car on the way to the doctor," Kirsten said reasonably.


	3. Chapter 3

Ryan and Seth sat in the waiting room and pouted, well Seth pouted and Ryan tried to look brooding but was having a hard time keeping up the tough- guy aspect in between the coughing and the sneezing. They were also both sitting in plastic chairs that were meant for children, not almost grown teenage boys.

"I'm to ACHOO! old for this place," Seth wiped his nose.

"Might be more ACHOO convincing *cough* if you learned how to use tissues." Ryan finished with another sneeze and then pointedly blew his own nose with a tissue.

"Well, thank you Dr. ACHOO! ACHOO!" His sneezes halted his sarcasm.

"Cohen?" A woman with a folder appeared.

"Right here," Kirsten stood up and pushed the two bickering boys foward. They had been at all morning and in the car ride on the way over. It was obvious both were feeling sick and miserable and taking it out on each other.

"Uh..." The nurse looked confused. "There's two?"

"Yes, both my sons seem to have caught the same virus." As if on cue, the boys both sneezed at the same time.

"Right... Alright, I guess the doctor will see them together..." The nurse said uncertaintly. She had only booked them fifteen minutes- only enough time to see one patient.

She showed them to an examining room and Seth immediatly hopped up onto the examining table, "Mine! ACHOO!" Ryan didn't even bother glaring as he slumped into a chair and coughed a few times and shrugged off his sweatshirt. Kirsten glanced at her watch, and realized the last dose of Tylenol was wearing off, Ryan and Seth's fevers could be on the rise.

"Is it really hot in here?" Seth asked, as if in answer to Kirsten's silent question, wiping his forehead with a sleeve.

"Yeah, I think it is." Ryan agreed. Kirsten glanced at her watch and hoped the doctor would come and see her poor sick boys soon.

The nurse came in, "Alright, I'm here to look at..." She looked at the chart confused. "Ryan Cohen? Seth Atwood?" Kirsten sighed.

"Seth Cohen," She pointed to Seth, "And Ryan Atwood," She walked over and put a hand on Ryan's shoulder.

"Both of them?"

"We have the ACHOO! same thing." Seth said, "Mom dought she could HACHOO get do for the price of one!" Kirsten winced as she heard the congestion building in her son. She'd kept the boys highly dosed with medication all night and all morning, but she knew they couldn't be on too much when they came and saw the doctor or their symptoms would be masked. Ryan looked positively miserable.

The nurse did a quick exam. She took their temperatures and checked their pulses. Asked for a list of symptoms. Seth was more than happy to rattle of a list of his complaints.

"I can'd breathe, HACHOO! sneezing, tired, feel like crap-"

"Seth!"

"I mean... I feel all achey, and hot..." The nurse jotted down a few quick notes. "Anything else?"

"Ryan's been coughing," Kirsten interjected.

"Alright, the doctor will be right with you..."

The doctor was not "right with them." In fact, they had to wait almost twenty minutes. Seth did not take well the to the waiting. "Mom- where is he?" He moaned.

"I don't know, sorry. He should be here soon..." She walked over to him and rubbed his back.

"Doesn't he know we're _dying_ here?" Seth said.

"We're not *cough. cough* dying..." Ryan said, his voice was hoarse, and he tried to clear it and straighten up a little in his chair.

There was a knock on the door and Seth's pediatrician let himself in, a broad grin on his face. "Well, what do we have here? My Seth- you look a bit different!" He said when he looked at Ryan, "Just kidding, you must be Ryan. I'm Doctor Bobbins, but everyone calls me Dr. Bob," He stuck out his hand to Ryan. Ryan pushed himself upright and shook the doctor's hand. "And Seth- how's my favorite patient today?"

"Ryan got me sick." Seth said.

"Seth..." Kirsten warned.

"Alright, well I'm just going to do a quick examination of the boys, and then you all can go home. Sorry about the wait. There's some pretty nasty illnesses going around..."

"No ACHOO kidding." Seth said.

"You know, you should't use your sleeves," The doctor chastised him, "That's a good way to spread germs."

"So everyone keebs saying..." Seth said, but took the proffered tissue from the doctor. The doctor glanced at the notes the nurse had made, then looked at Seth's throat and listened to his lungs.

"Hmm... yup, looks like just a common cold Seth. You're free to go. Plenty of rest, fluids, just take it easy over the next few days alright?"

"No school?" Seth asked hopefully.

"Not until your temperature's been normal for at least 24 hours, so stay in bed, read lots of comics, and you'll be good as new, hop down." Seth obliged and hopped off the bed. "Ryan, you're up."

"You just *cough* saw him, we have the *cough. cough.* same thing." Ryan protested weakly.

"Just gotta do my job, okay kid?" He reasoned. With a groan Ryan got to his feet and climbed up onto the table. He looked at Ryan's thoat and listened to his lungs. Ryan coughed when he asked him to take a deep breath. "Hmm..."

"What's hmm?" Kirsten was on instant alert.

"Well, he's fever a bit high and coupled with his breath sounds... I don't like what I'm seeing. I think something much nastier than a cold could be brewing, but well, I don't want to alarm you just yet. As long as you take it easy, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, you should be fine, okay?" He patted Ryan's knee. "Mrs. Cohen, can I see you outside for a moment."

"Alright," She turned to Seth and Ryan, "Boys, behave." She warned. Seth bobbed his head eagerly, anticipating a trip to Blockbuster shortly, Ryan only looked up at her with tired, bloodshot eyes. Poor kid needed to be home and in bed... Kirsten thought to herself. He seemed to be getting worse before her very eyes.

"Mrs. Cohen, I know we only have incomplete medical records on Ryan... He's your adopted son correct?"

"Yes,"

"Alright, you're going to need to keep an eye on him over the next few days. I see on his notes from last year that he was a smoker... Has he quit?"

"Of course!" Kirsten said, "He hasn't smoked in months!"

"Alright, good, that's good." He looked at the chart again, "Just make sure he stays in bed and gets plenty of rest, and if his fever gets above 104, give me a call right away. Okay?"

"Is everything-?"

"Everything's fine Mrs. Cohen, I just want to make sure we take all precautions. Alright? But don't worry, you have two fine, young men. They should be fine in just a few days."

"Thank you so much Dr. Bob,"

"Your welcome Mrs. Cohen." Before she walked back into the room Kirsten wiped the lines of worry from her face and put a smile on her face.

"Are you boys ready to go to Blockbuster?" Even Ryan perked up a little.


	4. Chapter 4

"So what do you say Ryan, for our final selection? Blade Trilogy?" So far Seth had picked up and discarded at least thirty movies.

"Whatever..." Ryan said, he was leaning up against the wall, and looking like he was having trouble even staying awake.

"Blade Trilogy it is... Unless we want something a little... Deeper. Kurosawa?"

"Dude... Pick... Please. I'm *cough cough* begging you."

"Ryan's right, you both need to get home and get in bed."

"Alright fine..." Seth pouted and lifted up a huge stack of movies.

"Woah! Woah! Seth- what are all of those?" Kirsten asked.

"Mom, it's going to be a few days before we've ACHOO completely healed, and like you said, it's better nod to risk our health going out do get more." Kirsten sighed. She would have argued, but Ryan looked like he was going to fall asleep standing up, better to just get them both home.

"Are you okay sweetie?" She asked, as Seth happily carried his pile of movies up to the counter. She gently rubbed Ryan's back and noticed that it was damp with sweat, and that several droplets were snaking their way down his temples.

"I have a headache," He admitted, "All these lights..."

"We'll be home soon."

"It's so hot in here..." He muttered, wiping the sweat off his face by rubbing his shoulder against it.

"I know sweetie," Kirsten said in sympathy. The cashier checking them out took one look at Seth, who kept sneezing and Ryan who was coughing and sweating, and backed as far away from them as possible as she rang them out.

"Have a nice day..." She told them nervously, as she put their movies into bags.

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Back at home, Seth busied himself with preparing a nest in the living room. Blankets, water bottle, and a DVD player, remote in hand- and he was all set.

Ryan joined, albeit at a much slower pace. On the car ride home, he had stopped sweating and started shaking with cold in his damp sweat- soaked t-shirt.

Kirsten tucked him in to the couch with a blanket and felt his clammy forehead. Sandy ambled out to join them. "Think you got enough movies Seth? Did you leave any at the video store for any one else?"

"Hey, Dr. Bob said to get plenty of rest, and that's exactly what I'm doing." Seth said, as he hit "play" on the remote.

"And how are you feeling kid?" He asked.

"Headache..." Ryan muttered.

"Here sweetie, take these." Kristen handed him several pills and he took them quickly. She did the same for Seth. Ryan was asleep before the movie was even part way through the opening credits.

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"Feeling up to some dinner?" Kirsten shook Ryan gently awake.

He shook his head, "No... Sorry..." She felt his forehead.

"You're fever's gone down- how's the headache?"

"Still around..." Ryan muttered.

"I'm sorry you're having such a bad day..."

"Are you kidding?" Ryan said, "This is the best sick day ever."


	5. Chapter 5

"How's your headache?" Kirsten asked gently as she brought Ryan a glass of water and two more Tylenol.

"Bad." Ryan admitted.

"Well, maybe these will help." She could tell from the way he looked up at her that he seriously doubted it, but he took the pills from her palm and swallowed them back with a swig of water, then he lay back on the pillow- or tried to, first he had to cough a few times, and Kirsten saw him knuckling his breastbone. "Ryan- are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, chest just hurts a little." Kirsten frowned. He had been coughing all day, it made sense that his chest might start hurting... But still...

"Let me get you a decongestant, and something to loosen up whatever's in there..." She gestured to his chest. Ryan looked as if he was about to respond, but started to cough again and grabbed a tissue to cover his mouth. Kirsten just patted him gently on the back and went to get him more medicine.

Seth shuffled into the living room with a pile of comic books, "Want one?" He offered it to Ryan.

"No thanks," Ryan said, relieved his brother had decided to switch to a quieter form of entertainment media. He wasn't sure his headache could take any more action movies. He closed his eyes and settled down to get some rest.

The doorbell rang.

Ryan got up and shuffled to the door, but Kirsten beat him there.

"Oh hi Lindsay," She smiled at their visitor.

"Hi Kirsten, is Ryan here? I got an SOS-" She held up a canvas bag, "It's his homework."

Kirsten turned around and shook her head at Ryan, "You're sick, you're supposed to be resting."

"Yes but..." He protested and coughed.

"No buts... Couch, now." He shrugged at Lindsay, coughed a few times, and walked back over to his makeshift sick bed. Behind him he could hear Kirsten thanking Lindsay for coming over and apologizing for not letting her in.

Kirsten came into the living room shaking her head at Ryan, "Ryan, you're supposed to be resting."

"I can't fall behind at school..." He muttered, slightly annoyed at Kirsten. If he wanted to do work- he felt like he should be allowed to do work.

"A few days won't kill you- but if you push yourself, you're just going to delay your recovery, okay?" She kissed his hot forehead. Ryan fumed slightly. He was starting to get annoyed by the childish treatment, and that he hadn't even been allowed to say so much as "hello" to Lindsay. "Here, if you want to read..." She dropped a comic book in his lap. Seth knew enough to stay silent, except for the occasional sniffle.

"Dude, you should not by now not to push The Kirsten." Seth said, when Kirsten walked back into the kitchen to make the boys some more tea. Ryan glared at him and then turned his attention to the comic, but reading made his headache worse. Okay, so maybe homework wouldn't have been such a good idea. He gave up on riding and sighed, which of course brought on another coughing fit. He felt hot and uncomfortable, and his chest hurt. Well, everything _hurt _and ached... His head, his throat, his chest, his back, his shoulders...

He told himself to stop being such a baby. He had spent the summer without being coddled by a parent.

Ugh, and there had been the stomach bug he had suffered through.

_He had woken up one morning at about 2am. Something had rudely pulled him out of his unconcious state, and jolted him a wake. Usually an all but impossible task after a long day of construction in the hot sun._

_Oh god- there it was. He leapt out of bed, and stumbled towards the bathroom, barely managing to throw the light switch before he was hunched over the toilet and losing the entire contents of his stomach. He heaved for several moments, and then listened. Theresa stirred but didn't wake. That was good. She worked long hours too, and he didn't need to wake her. His stomach lurched again, but it was just a dry heave._

_Finally he stopped heaving long enough to push himself away from the toilet and sat heavily on the floor, wiping the sweat from his brow. He wasn't sure if it was a fever or the suffocating heat of the bathroom. He stood on shaking legs, and rinsed his mouth out with a swig of mouthwash, and then stumbled back to bed like a drunk man, swaying dizzily as he crossed the carpeted floor, and then sank down onto the sagging mattress, as far away from Theresa and her body heat as possible. Oddly, his mind flashed to the pool house, it would be cool and dry in there. Well, maybe now that he wasn't there, the air conditioning was turned off. _

_He rolled over on his side. A mistake. His stomach sloshed and rolled. He grabbed the trashcan near his bed. It smelled like McDonalds but it didn't matter, there was nothing left in his stomach. He lay back on the bed, and prayed for morning to come._

_The alarm rang, but it didn't matter he was already awake. He had barely slept the night before. _

_"You look terrible," Theresa said, as she got up and watched him go zombie-like through his morning routine. "Are you feeling okay?"_

_"M'fine..." He muttered. Kissed her on the forehead. "See you tonight."_

_"Go home Atwood," The foreman ordered on the worksite. Ryan's arms were like jelly. His vision kept blurring. Every time he tried to drink some water, it came right back up. The men joked he had caught his wife's morning sickness. He was so He got paid half- wages that day. Money was going to be tight this week. _

_He went home and lay down in the hot room on the itchy comforter._

_Theresa came home. "Ryan?" She called. _

_"Yeah," He said, lifting his head off the pillow. _

_"What are you doing here?" She asked._

_"Foreman sent me home..."_

_"What? Why?" She was instantly on alert. Had he gotten fired?"_

_"I was sick..."_

_"Oh..." She relaxed. "Are you feeling any better?"_

_"Not really." He turned his head away._

_"What's wrong?"_

_"Stomach bug. I think it's just a 24 hour thing."_

_"Okay... Can I get you anything?"_

_"M'fine... You don't have to worry about me."_

Alright, Ryan decided as Kirsten handed him a glass of orange juice, a few more pills and felt his forehead with a cool hand, maybe this was better.


End file.
